BBC Studios hires ex-Left Bank exec

BBC Studios, the UK pubcaster’s TV production arm, has appointed a former executive producer at The Crown prodco Left Bank Pictures to work on its scripted output.

Radford Neville

Radford Neville has been named head of production for drama series and serials at BBC Studios and will start in September. He reports to Nick Betts, who was named director of scripted in May 2016 to replace Mark Freeland.

Neville started his career at the BBC working on shows including Jane Eyre, Ashes to Ashes and Spooks, before becoming a producer for UK companies including Kudos and Working Title.

He was then an exec producer at Sony Pictures Television-owned Left Bank and has credits on dramas including The Borrowers for the BBC, Wuthering Heights and Married, Single, Other for ITV, plus Youngers for E4.

Neville, who also executive produced seasons four and five of ITV’s DCI Banks for Left Bank, replaces Gordon Ronald, who joined FremantleMedia-owned UK prodco Euston Films earlier this month.

Ronald is now head of production at Euston, overseeing a slate that includes BBC1’s Hard Sun and Channel 4’s Baghdad Central.

Betts said Neville’s “extensive experience working across a broad range of roles on many brilliant dramas will be a huge asset, given the scale and volume of shows he’ll be looking after on our series and serials slate.”

Neville will work across a portfolio of BBC Studios drama series and serials including Our Girl, Doctor Who, Silent Witness and Luther.

BBC Studios secured approval to launch as a commercial subsidiary and make programmes for other broadcasters and customers in December.